With more than 3,000 miles of coastline, California’s sandy beaches and scenic bluffs are an essential part of what makes this state so special. It is important, now more than ever, that we plan for a future that includes sea level rise. https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/d0c1df224a97418bb4dad129ea4c6d17 #climatechange
Thank you to @brenucsb students for their work on this resource to explain sea level rise in California and the implications of the choices that must be made to respond to and plan for it.
A @USGS study showed that 2/3 of southern California beaches could be lost to sea level rise by the end of this century. A key ingredient to healthy and stable beaches is an adequate supply of sand, but sea walls and inland dams reduce the amount of available sediment.
When people burn fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas, we add heat-trapping gases to the atmosphere, warming our air, earth, and ocean. When water warms, it takes up more space, and when land ice melts, it adds water to the ocean. This is causing global sea level rise.
As sea levels rise, increased wave action pushes ocean water deeper into coastal communities, eliminating beaches, flooding private development, public infrastructure and coastal parks and trails. Coastal flooding poses a significant risk to life and property.
As a California resident, you have a voice in how we prepare for sea level rise, how we should adapt or protect development, and how to protect your public beaches. This is true whether you live on the coast or far inland.
Public access to the ocean is guaranteed in the state’s constitution and mandated in the Coastal Act. Beaches belong to everyone, and unless planning is done to preserve them, many will be drowned by rising seas within the next 50 years.
Communities will need to make some tough decisions on how to balance public versus private interests, and we encourage you to share your views with public officials and attend future public hearings on coastal planning to make your voice heard.
To stay informed on our sea level rise planning actions and efforts, sign up at https://www.coastal.ca.gov/signup/ . To learn about a coastal development permit or a Local Coastal Plan, contact the district office for the location you're interested in, https://www.coastal.ca.gov/contact/#/ 
You can follow @TheCACoast.
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